Instant Candidates: Not the Best Way to Choose Our Leaders

A year ago, it was quite common to find New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg mentioned together in news reports since Zuckerberg had just donated $100 million to the state’s largest school system.

One year later, the two men once again were in the news at the same time – Christie because of yet another increase in speculation that he may run for national office; Zuckerberg because of changes to Facebook that irked many of the social network’s 800 million active users.

This year’s news stories are about the two distinct topics, but there is a connection, albeit an indirect one.

Among the Facebook changes are features that provide for faster sharing of information. This is a sign of the times in which we live. We want our news and information instantly, whether it’s the White House press corps reporting on the president or a text message with word that your sister has just had a healthy baby boy.

A Lesson in Politics from the Big Man

I never had a chance to meet Clarence Clemons while I was a music critic for The Aquarian Weekly in the early 1980s, but the time I spent covering rock’n’roll in New Jersey coincided with the few years that Clarence owned a club in Red Bank called Big Man’s West.

I spent several memorable nights at the club. I saw Clarence perform with his own band, the Red Bank Rockers; I was in the audience when Bruce Springsteen

After Tea Time, Both Parties Miss the Point

Democrats have been poking fun at Sarah Palin for writing notes on her hand before speaking at the National Tea Party Convention last weekend.

The critics may enjoy a chuckle or two at the former Alaska Governor’s expense, but unless they take a more serious look at Governor Palin and the Tea Party, they won’t be laughing at the results of upcoming elections throughout the nation.

Friend or Foe: Choosing the Best Strategy for Working with the Press

In the few years that have passed since I taught public relations at the college level, the business has changed significantly, largely due to the continued growth of the internet and social networks. However, the greatest change in the industry may not have been a technological one but a fundamental shift in the relationship between the news media and the people and organizations they cover.

Has the Internet Made Debates over Privacy Moot?

By refusing to hear an appeal of a lower court decision that kept emails between Governor Corzine and the former head of a state employees union private, the New Jersey Supreme Court has effectively put an end to a long debate over whether the messages should be publicly disclosed.

But even if we have heard the last of this particular saga, privacy issues are likely to remain a hot topic — not only for public figures, but for the general citizenry as well.